Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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If you are considering a prosthetic or orthotic (brace) for your Tripawds, you should review this recent study by our friends at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital's Orthopedic Medicine and Mobility (OMM) team:
Prospective evaluation of complications associated with orthosis and prosthesis use in canine patients
Discussion and conclusion:
Three major complications associated with canine orthosis and prosthesis use were identified in this study as follows: Skin complications (abrasions, loss of hair, and sores), mechanical device problems, and patient non-acceptance of the device. Owners should be notified of these potential complications prior to pursuing orthoses or prostheses as a potential treatment option. Although clinical improvement was noted in the majority of patients with stifle and carpal pathology, given the lack of a control group, it is unknown how much of this improvement can be attributed to the orthoses.
We hope to have the OMM team on tripawd talk next year so they can discuss this study in more detail. Stay tuned!
Makes sense. Thanks Jerry.
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
I just searched the forums and found this article. Wondering if you have had them on tripawd talk , yet?
We are considering a prosthetic for our dog with a front-limb amputation, mainly for when we go hiking. I am worried; however, that he is not going to take to it, especially after reading the article and seeing that there was a 55% non-acceptance rate in the prostheses group. He gets around great, so far, on three legs.. but we are only up to about .8 miles on relatively flat terrain before he gets worn out. The PT we are working with doesn't seem convinced either and most companies will not take a custom-fitted prosthesis back if the dog doesn't accept it. (I am told some will offer a partial refund).
Anyways, thanks for sharing the study! It was definitely eye opening for us to see those results.
momomama14 said
I just searched the forums and found this article. Wondering if you have had them on tripawd talk , yet?We are considering a prosthetic for our dog with a front-limb amputation, mainly for when we go hiking. I am worried; however, that he is not going to take to it, especially after reading the article and seeing that there was a 55% non-acceptance rate in the prostheses group. He gets around great, so far, on three legs.. but we are only up to about .8 miles on relatively flat terrain before he gets worn out. The PT we are working with doesn't seem convinced either and most companies will not take a custom-fitted prosthesis back if the dog doesn't accept it. (I am told some will offer a partial refund).
Anyways, thanks for sharing the study! It was definitely eye opening for us to see those results.
I'm so glad you are working with a PT. Yes, unfortunately a custom prosthetic is usually not returnable. Working with a rehab therapist for a while before making that financial commitment is smart!
It would be good to know how many of your therapists patients have used one. If your rehab therapist doesn't have a ton of experience working with prosthetics on dogs, I would find one who has more of a focus in that area, just to get another opinion. Let us know if you'd like help finding one.
We haven't had the OMM team on yet, but plan to. Meanwhile here are some other links you'll find interesting:
Are Dog Prosthetics Worth It? CSU Vet Study Finds Out
Is a Tripawd Prosthetic in Your Pet’s Future?
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